ITI students, teachers in Maharashtra anxious about first online exams

But DVET, which will hold the test, says students have ample time to prepare for examinations

The online exams will be held on February 17 and 21.(Representational photo/HT)

With around 22,000 students at Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) set to take their first online exams, some students and teachers are concerned that the students may not be familiar with the new mode of testing.

The state Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET), which will conduct the test, has received several requests to switch back to the pen-and-paper method of examination, in order to avoid the kind of mess being faced by the University of Mumbai (MU), which adopted digital assessment last year. The DVET has, however, assured that the students have ample time to prepare for examinations and will not face any academic loss.

In the second phase of introducing online exams, the DVET will conduct the first semester examinations of 36 vocational trades at around 100 government-run ITIs, located at district headquarters. All the other exams will be held offline. Once it is proven that the idea works, the online testing will be expanded to other ITIs and trades as well.

However, students and teachers complained that the circular announcing that students belonging to 36 vocational trades would take their exams online, instead of offline, was issued on Saturday. This was just two days before the offline exams began on Monday.

“The students are not mentally prepared for the new method of examination. They need to attempt four or five mock papers before taking the test,” said a teacher from a government ITI in the city, adding that the students were even allotted seats for offline exams.

The online exams will now be held between February 17 and 21.

On Monday, Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, requested the DVET to postpone the pilot project until next semester. "We are not against the online exams, but students are not ready for it yet," said Pradeep Sawant of Yuva Sena.

Anil Jadhao, director, DVET, said that the colleges will start conducting mock tests from Thursday to bring students up to speed before the exam day. “We postponed the online tests so that the students have sufficient time for practice. There won't be any problems. We will do it very carefully,” he said.

DVET has posted a few mock papers online to allow students and teachers to get accustomed with the digital test.